The BBC is to pay viewers who send in user-generated content, but only for material that is "particularly editorially important or unique", MediaGuardian.co.uk can reveal.

New guidelines tell BBC staff they can make payments to members of the public who send in footage from mobile phones or cameras, but "audiences should not be encouraged to think that payment is the norm".

The new guidelines on paying for content are a departure for the BBC.

Just three weeks ago at the News Xchange conference in Istanbul, the News Interactive head, Pete Clifton, was asked if the BBC would pay for user-generated content.

"Not on the budget I've got," he said. "We don't expect to pay for it and I don't recall anyone asking for that. They retain the copyright and if they want to try and sell it elsewhere, they can."

The BBC is following in the footsteps of other broadcasters which have asked viewers to send in their own content.

Channel Five recently announced it would pay viewers £100 for contributions it used on air.

But the BBC is determined not to encourage viewers to think they will automatically be paid.

The new editorial policy guidelines state: "Material is submitted to the BBC under published terms and conditions. These give us a free, non-exclusive licence to publish on any platform, and the person who took the footage/pictures retains copyright.

"However, on very rare occasions where material is particularly editorially important or unique and depicts something of great significance, we may consider making an appropriate payment.

"In newsgathering, journalists should consult their senior editor, before entering any negotiations on payments; in English regions referral should be made to [heads of regional and local programmes] and through heads of news and current affairs in the nations.

"Audiences should not be encouraged to think that payment is the norm, or in any way encouraged to take risks, put themselves in danger or break any laws in order to secure what they perceive to be material of high monetary value."

The guidelines go on to explain how the system would work: "In return for payment we may negotiate an assignment of copyright or exclusive rights - but bear in mind that material other than photographs may be copied and used by other news organisations under 'fair dealing'.

"Bear in mind also that under the standard terms the person sending in material generally retains the copyright, so they are free to give or sell their material to others. They may go on to agree an exclusive deal with another outlet, which would in effect terminate their licence to the BBC, and we would not be able to reuse the image, video or audio. We would not have to delete the archive though."

Vicky Taylor, the BBC's head of interactivity, insisted that the guidelines are not a radical change in editorial policy.

She said the guidelines are for staff in BBC Nations and Regions who are having to deal with new issues around user-generated content, such as privacy.

"We do not want to give people the impression that we will pay for hundreds of pieces of user-generated content," said Ms Taylor. She said the only time the BBC has paid in the past for amateur footage was for video of the Concorde crash in Paris.

The BBC received 20,000 emails following the July 7 bombings last year and 5,000 emails during the first few hours following the Buncefield oil depot fire last December.

User-generated content is a pressing issue for all broadcasters, particularly the BBC.

The BBC's college of journalism also held a session last week titled Have They Got News for Us at White City on the issue.

Staff from other areas of the corporation, including the World Service and nations and regions, will also have a chance to attend the workshop.

The BBC's new guidelines - which come under the heading "Video, audio and stills contributions from members of the public in BBC news output" - also remind staff to apply the corporation's standards of accuracy to footage from members of the public.

"Our starting point is that we should aim to apply the same approach to pictures, audio and video supplied by members of the public, as we do to any other material we handle as journalists.

"We should not automatically assume that the material is accurate and should take reasonable steps where necessary to seek verification. As digital manipulation tools become more accessible, we also need to be on our guard against photo manipulation and hoaxing."

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